


Autumn Leaf Inn/ On the Road

by frogust



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:08:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogust/pseuds/frogust
Summary: Kurapika and Leorio, travelers on the main road that winds through their kingdom, must share a tiny room in a tiny inn in order to take shelter from a not-so-tiny storm.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 19
Kudos: 28





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> a result of procrastinating on college apps and hw

Kurapika’s boots crunched on the dried leaves that littered the worn cobblestone streets like patches of blood, and swirled around him- a foreboding omen. This particular village was small, and the few people that he passed paid him no mind. Actually, small was an understatement- there were a total of four buildings: two sagging houses, a general store, and a rickety old inn, which he was currently heading right towards. It was the tallest building in town, marked by a dilapidated sign that read “Autumn Leaf Inn” and surprisingly busy. As he neared the place, he heard sounds of merry chatter, and the glow from the stained-glass windows lit up the dusk around them. He sighed. He had been hoping for a quiet place to stay, and this tiny unnamed town had been promising. Alas, it seemed that fellow travelers had had the same idea, and as he reached the front door, the din grew louder.

After re-adjusting the heavy bags on his shoulders and mentally preparing himself for the first human contact he would have in weeks, Kurapika pushed the rough-hewn wooden door open and slipped inside. 

He was standing in a hallway that had been converted into some sort of front desk situation. When he moved, the wooden floorboards groaned. In the dim lighting, he could make out a large desk sitting in the middle of the path, with an even larger woman sitting at it. Probably the innkeeper. To the right was another doorway, which seemed to be the source of the noise. It was also the source of a rather enticing smell. Likely a dining hall, or something similar, based on the talking and clanking of plates and forks echoing around him. He focused back on the woman, and noticed that there was something blocking his vision. Kurapika looked up. 

There was a tall, lanky figure clad in a long coat talking to the woman in hushed tones, and based on his frantic gesturing, he was displeased with something. She looked annoyed, and as Kurapika approached, he could guess why.

“That is a ridiculous price,” He hissed, leaning over her. Her beady eyes were narrowed, a mixture of smugness and irritation present on round features. 

“I’m sorry, sir,” She didn’t sound sorry. “There’s only one room left, and it’s simply business to allow the most able individual to stay in it.”

“There’s nobody else here!” He said, his voice rising in volume as his frustration grew.

The innkeep cleared her throat and scanned the room in a menacing way. When her gaze found Kurapika, she smirked triumphantly and inclined her head towards him. She had thin, graying curls that bobbed in a ridiculous way with the movement. 

The man at the desk turned around in an accusatory manner, to stare at Kurapika like it was all his fault. And then an almost surprised look came over his features, for a reason that Kurapika couldn’t pinpoint. The man was not what he had been picturing, either. His dark hair was spiky, and a shadow of facial hair covered his chin. On a straight nose, a pair of round, wireframe glasses perched. He was surprisingly handsome.

“You,” The lady smiled at Kurapika, a haunting effect. “Interested in a room, um… sir?”

It took effort not to roll his eyes. Just because he didn’t have the ability to grow facial hair like the gangly man next to him... “Yes.”

“Right. Well, we have one room left. Interested?”

Kurapika stepped in front of the desk, standing next to the tall angry man. The glare that was directed down at him was non-threatening. “How much?”

“Fifty-five,” She raised a thin brow, gauging his reaction.

It was, indeed, a ridiculous amount for a ramshackle inn in the middle of nowhere. But Kurapika was not on the road due to lack of funds. “Fine.”

“Ha!” She said triumphantly, beaming at the tall man. Amazingly, as Kurapika watched, he stuck his tongue out at her. Like a child. Perhaps that’s what triggered the sympathy that he hadn’t felt for so long. Or the fact that he knew the man would be stuck outside, in the cold, when a storm was about to hit.

Just as the man was about to retreat, Kurapika said, “Wait.”

The lady looked annoyed once again- the man, hopeful.

“Could we split it?”

“Split what?” She sighed.

“The cost, and the room,” He would regret this.

“I suppose…” The lady seemed to be doing the math, her chins working as she calculated. “For five more bucks.”

“That’s fine.”

“Woah, woah,” The man spoke for the first time in a while. “You don’t have to do this. I could camp out, or something…”

“It’s fine. More cost-efficient. Also, there’s about to be a storm,” Kurapika didn’t know he was capable of this generosity. Maybe he was going soft.

“Great, thanks! Seriously, I’m in your debt,” The man grinned, eyes twinkling, as he held out a hand. “I’m Leorio.”

“...Kurapika,” He took the hand. It was warm and rough. “And you’re not indebted to me. You were here first, therefore, this is only fair.”

“Yeah, yeah,” The innkeep interrupted. “Very sweet moment, boys. Now, pay up.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Leorio had found an interesting roommate, it seemed. 

For one, he was pretty. Leorio’s mother used to tell tales of elven creatures and imps that lived in the Great Forest, and lured travellers away from the path with their beauty and silken voices. The blond that had stood in the inn doorway, cheeks pink with cold and earring swaying in the breeze, seemed to fit that description.

But Leorio did not think those fantastical creatures were this grumpy.

Kurapika answered all of Leorio’s casual questions in one or two words. As they climbed the questionably-built stairs, heading towards room number 11 (it was the highest up, on the third floor), he effectively dodged every effort for conversation, and they reached the room in silence.

The blond stepped in front of Leorio, brandishing the key, and unlocked it, pushing the door open. He followed him inside, and when Kurapika groaned at the sight, he was in silent agreement.

It was tiny. That had been expected, given the size of the village. But together, they had about five bags, which would take up about half of this space. In the corner of the room, there was a single bed, big enough for two people in a happy relationship, and too small for a pair of grumpy strangers. There was a tiny desk next to it, with a gas lamp, and a door in the opposite corner that Leorio decided was a bathroom, after peering into it and finding a toilet and a basin. A tiny closet held two towels and an extra pillow.

“Well…” Leorio said, interrupting the silence. He strolled to an empty corner, letting his bags and gear fall off of him with a thump. A plume of dust rose from the floor, and he coughed. “I can sleep on the floor. I have the stuff for it.”

“Okay,” Kurapika said, and Leorio almost laughed. Most people would have argued, at least. 

The blonde piled his things neatly in the opposite corner. He had a large backpack, a smaller bag, and a case that looked to contain some sort of instrument. In the new light of the lamp, Leorio observed the odd clothing that he wore. It had to be some sort of traditional or cultural thing- something between a dress and a robe, with interesting patterns that meant nothing to Leorio stitched into it. The red cloth matched his earring. His elf/imp theory returned in full force.

“What instrument is that?” Leorio asked. He had slumped down onto the floor, weary, and was leaning against the plaster wall, rifling through his own bag. 

“A violin,” Kurapika replied more readily to this question than any previous ones, and there was a hint of pride in his tone. He sat down on the bed, legs crossed, facing the tiny window above it. There wasn’t much to see outside- it was dark, now.

“Oh, you play fiddle?”

“No.”

Leorio was once again impressed by his propensity to kill a conversation. “Okay, right, sorry. Classically trained, then?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

“Right… are you a traveling musician?”

“That’s how I make money, sometimes,” He was tapping one elegant finger against his leg, and metal rings shone on his hand whenever it moved.

“You gonna play tonight?”

Kurapika turned towards him, large eyes narrowed in thought. “Actually, I might.”

It took little convincing for the innkeep to concede. She had taken a liking to Kurapika, and Leorio tried not to laugh as she flirted shamelessly with the poor man, despite his increasingly less-concealed rudeness. As the pair followed her into the still-boisterous bar/dining area, the blond sent him a look of utter disgust, and Leorio accidentally let out a snort. Thankfully, it was hidden by the din of the crowd.

The inn was full of travelers, like themselves, who were probably hiding out from the storm. Anyone who had been on the road long enough knew the signs of a blizzard. The sky had been cloudy for days, and the wind grew increasingly more violent. He could hear it, faintly, whistling outside the inn, rattling the window panes.

The innkeep stopped at the far end of the room, indicating a small elevated platform in the corner, with a single stool in the middle. It looked like it hadn’t been used for a while. Kurapika eyed the area with distaste before settling hesitantly onto the stool. Leorio, after a moment, went to go sit at a table near a window, with a view of the violinist. Several heavyset men in furs eyed him as he sat, and then turned away after apparently deeming him nonthreatening. Typical.

The travelers were still talking loudly, downing mugs of ale and regaling each other with tales of the road. Leorio watched Kurapika in the corner, taking out his instrument with an air of expertise. As soon as he plucked a single string, the crowd started to die down, taking notice of the small blond in the corner with a fancy-looking violin. As he tuned the thing, carefully adjusting the knobs at the head, it grew almost quiet. He plucked a quick scale. And then, when he had put rosin on his bow and attached some sort of piece to the butt end of the instrument, he began to play. And the room went silent, save for the music and the howling wind outside.

Now, Leorio was no musician. But he had known a few, enough to recognize when someone was talented. And Kurapika was very talented.

He played something upbeat, but it was no drinking song. Now he understood why the blond had been offended at Leorio’s use of the word “fiddle”. The piece was beautiful, and Kurapika was captivating. His eyes were half closed as he recalled the song from memory, with little effort. It flowed through the room, bringing with it the feeling of summer on the road, and tales long-forgotten.

Leorio, along with the rest of the room, was enraptured.

As the night went on, more and more people shuffled up to the makeshift stage, dropping coins into the open case at Kurapika’s feet, which he accepted with a graceful nod.

He played several pieces, with several feelings- some hopeful, some uplifting, some melancholic. Leorio watched the whole time, feeling it with him.

After what had probably been a while, he stopped. After a brief silence, the inn was filled with the sound of loud, appreciative clapping and hollering. Leorio blinked. How long had he been staring at the pretty blond violinist like an idiot? The bartender had placed a mug in front of him at some point, probably at request of the innkeep, but he hadn’t touched it. He blinked again, slowly, tearing his eyes away from Kurapika to stare at the drink. Ale? Probably. He took a generous gulp, grounding himself.

“Mind if I sit here?” A quiet voice interrupted his buzzing thoughts, and he looked up to see Kurapika standing over him, case slung onto his back.

“O-oh. Yeah. Of course,” Leorio said, and Kurapika settled into the chair across from him. His pale cheekbones were a bit pink, and the corner of his lips were upturned. He looked less grumpy, Leorio thought. He had tied his shoulder-length hair back at some point, and blond strands fell into his face. He looked like the songs he had just played (beautiful). “Um, that was really good. You’re amazing, honestly.”

“Thank you,” Kurapika’s faint blush turned less faint. 

They were interrupted briefly by the bartender, who had approached the violinist with a mug and an apologetic look on her face. She looked vaguely like the innkeeper, Leorio realized- perhaps this was her much smaller and less rude daughter.

“This is from the table over there,” She nodded towards the table in the corner, where a middle-aged man sat, alone. He noticed them looking and winked gaudily at Kurapika, who immediately looked away in horror. “Sorry about that, hun. And I have about five more requests to send drinks to you… I would ignore them, but I don’t want to offend…”

“It’s fine,” The blond sighed, like this was something he had dealt with before. “You may bring them. Leorio here will drink them.”

“Oy,” Leorio said. 

“Your performance was very nice, hun. It’s been a while since we’ve had live music,” The bartender put a hand on her hip.

“Thank you,” He said, and the lady took that as a dismissal (it probably was), retreating back to her bar.

“That was pretty gross,” Leorio observed, glancing back at the man in the corner, who was still leering at Kurapika. He was scraggly, with short hair and a long beard. And old. 

“I’m used to it,” The blond mumbled, peering suspiciously into the drink that the bartender had set before him. 

“Really?”

“Mhm. Men see blond hair and an earring and assume I’m a woman, or someone to… And I think the music makes them think I’m some sort of…”

“Fuck? Woodland creature?” Leorio suggested, helpfully.

Kurapika peered at him curiously. “Um, right.”

“I didn’t think you were a woman. And I hope I’m not being creepy, like that guy…”

“I’m grateful. Although, you do ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m just trying to make conversation,” Leorio said, pouting a bit as he slouched in his chair. The ale was making his insides deliciously warm. “I’m a friendly guy. You should try your drink, by the way. S’pretty good.”

A blond eyebrow raised. “I’m not much of a drinker.”

“I noticed.”

Kurapika hesitantly took a sip, and immediately wrinkled his nose. Cute, Leorio thought. “Are you trying to get me drunk so I’ll answer your questions?”

Leorio laughed. “Of course not. I’d never take advantage of anyone like that. You’ll answer my questions willingly.”

“Don’t count on it,” The blond warned, but took another sip anyway.

Soon, the bartender came over with more drinks, and Kurapika drank every time a man (or woman) winked at him, or flirted with him. Leorio drank with him, but he had a feeling he could hold his liquor a lot better than his newfound companion.

Already, Kurapika’s tongue was loosening. 

“Where did you learn to play like that?”

“In my… clan, I suppose you’d call it. One of the elders gave me lessons.”

“Clan? Would I have heard of it?”

“Maybe.” He wasn’t willing to give every answer, of course.

“Are those traditional clothes, then? From your clan? I’ve never seen anything like them.”

“Yes. A tabard, it’s called.”

It went on like that. He wouldn’t tell him why he was on the road, but there was something important that he had to do. Something to do with his people. He also mentioned that they were from the Great Forest, which Leorio didn’t even think was possible. Most people that went in and strayed off the path never came out. The woodland creature theory seemed surprisingly plausible, in the hazy, warm interior of the bar.

“What about you?” Kurapika said, suddenly.

“What about me?”

“You haven’t mentioned anything about yourself.”

“You haven’t asked. I’m an open book.”

“Okay…” The blonde thought for a moment, leaning on his hand. “Why are you on the road?”

“I’m heading south, to the main city. I’m pursuing work as a doctor.”

Kurapika looked surprised at that. “How old are you, Leorio?”

“Twenty.”

“Young for a doctor, old for a bachelor,” He mused. “Are you to be married?”

Arranged marriage was common, expected, even, and most people married around age seventeen. Especially in upper-class society, which Kurapika seemed to be a part of. Leorio grimaced. “No. Not into that.”

“I’d have to agree.”

“How old are you, then?”

“Eighteen.”

Leorio nodded. That made sense. The blond looked youthful, but he talked like an old person. Or a rich person. Even as he grew more tipsy, his speech was still proper, albeit slower.

“It’s getting late,” Leorio realized. The bar was starting to empty out, and the small fireplace in the wall across from them had been reduced to glowing embers.

“Oh, right,” Kurapika stood, swaying only a tiny bit. “We should head back to our room.”

Maybe it was the alcohol in his brain, but Leorio’s stomach fluttered at the implication. No, bad Leorio. He didn’t want to be another creepy man for Kurapika to deal with. He stood as well, yawning. “Need a hand?”

The blond seemed to be trying to steady himself. He looked up at Leorio through long lashes and nodded, sheepishly. Leorio held out an arm and Kurapika took it, long fingers wrapping around his wrist. He tried not to be hyper-aware of where they touched, but it was difficult not to. Gently, he lead Kurapika out of the bar.

Together, they headed up to room number 11.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ft. alternate universe melody if she was never cursed

When they reached the room, Kurapika immediately collapsed on the bed with a groan (after setting his violin case down carefully, of course). He had never been this drunk- not that he was very drunk, but still. He didn’t drink. He thought it made people act stupid, and look stupid. He had no desire to be either of these things.

But as he lay back on the bed, staring at the low wooden ceiling, he understood why people did it. The swirling vision that came with alcohol was not unpleasant, and the usual constant numbness (which concealed a constant sadness and anger) that he felt was almost completely gone. Kurapika also thought this maybe had to do with Leorio, who was the closest he had had to a friend in a while. Not that they knew each other very well at all, but the man was so likeable… and attractive. He could acknowledge that he was attractive, and charming, and that his stomach sometimes did funny things around him.

The man in question suddenly came into view, leaning over Kurapika and blocking his nice view of the ceiling. “You good?”

“No,” He mumbled. “You’re blocking my view.”

Leorio blinked, once. “Of the ceiling?”

“Mhm. I like the color of the wood. I believe it’s dark pine…”

The man let out a bark of laughter, retreating from Kurapika’s field of vision. Oddly enough, he wished he hadn’t told him to move. “I like you like this.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t take advantage of me,” Kurapika sat up, slowly, vision swimming as the world seemed to tilt on its axis. He was greeted with the sight of Leorio with his coat off, digging through his bag. He wore a thin, long-sleeve tunic with far too many laces, and a pair of pants that accentuated the improper length of his legs. 

“I’m not,” Leorio said, pulling an even smaller bag out of his larger bag with triumph. Then he looked over at the blond nervously. “I’m not, am I? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“On the contrary, I think I’m too comfortable around you…”

He beamed, like that was a compliment. “I’ve been told I have that effect. I did say I’m a friendly guy.”

And then he took his shirt off.

It took a few moments for Kurapika’s brain to realize it was happening, and a few more moments for him to rationalize the situation- he was getting ready to go to sleep. That was all. But his mind was being anything but rational. He supposed Leorio had been on the road for a while, so it would make sense for him to be physically fit. But his stupid drunken body didn’t care if it “made sense”. All he could think was “woah”.

And he had said that out loud.

“Oh, um,” Leorio turned around, so that Kurapika had a full view of his toned stomach and broad shoulders. His trousers were slung low, and a faint v-lin was visible above the waistline. “Sorry. Do you mind?”

“No.”

“I usually sleep with no clothes, but I think that would be uncomfortable for both of us.”

“You sleep nude? Even when you’re camping out on the road?”

Leorio nodded, shrugging his broad shoulders. He was kneeling now, rolling out a sleeping mat and bag. 

“What if an animal attacked?” Kurapika shuddered. “Or crawled into your sleeping bag?”

He laughed, shoulders shaking. “That’s never happened, thank fuck.”

After staring at Leorio’s back and the curve of his spine for what was definitely too long, Kurapika realized that he should probably get ready as well. Except that he didn’t feel like it. So he tugged off his boots and clothing, leaving just his underthings, and crawled under the thin, worn blanket with a sigh.

“Goodnight,” He muttered. He thought he heard Leorio reply, but by then he had already drifted into a dreamless sleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Leorio woke the next morning to a blinding brightness searing into his vision. He sat up with a yelp, blinking, and was rewarded with freezing cold air biting into his bare skin. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, and a few more for him to realize what was going on.

The storm had hit.

The window across from him showed a complete white-out. Not to mention the cold. Leorio quickly brought hand to his chest just to make sure his nipples hadn’t frozen off. All good. Except that he realized he was shaking. Hurriedly, he reached for his clothes and his coat, and the thickest pair of wool socks he could find. It didn’t help that much, but at least he had less of a chance of getting hypothermia.

He squinted at the bed. All he could see was a lump underneath the covers, and a hint of blond hair at the bottom of the pillow.

Leorio wiggled out of his sleeping bag and padded over to the bed. As he neared it, he noticed the lump was shivering as well. The crusty brown blanket looked thin, and Kurapika was next to the window. He was probably freezing. Leorio knelt down next to the bed.

“Hey, Kurapika,” He laid a hand on what was probably the blond’s shoulder. Probably. The lump stirred, and the top of his roommate’s head popped out of the blanket. His eyes were heavy-lidded with sleep, and his normally tidy hair was like a bird’s nest.

“Mmh,” He moaned.

“Goodmorning, sunshine,” Leorio said. “The storm’s hit, and this inn has shit insulation. It’s fucking cold.”

“I… can’t feel my toes,” He rasped, in response. “Or my fingers. Or… most things.”

“That’s not good. I have no blankets. Here, I’ll get you some clothes. Mind if I go through your bag?”

Kurapika shook his head minutely. His lips were purple- not a good sign.

Leorio managed to find a cloak, and a new tabard that had long sleeves. He handed them to the blond, who sat up and quickly pulled them on. He was shaking visibly, teeth chattering. It was a pitiful sight.

“You’re going to be sick if you don’t warm up soon,” Leorio said. “And that would make me a terrible doctor.”

“Any suggestions, doctor?” The humor was diluted by the effect of teeth chattering.

“A hot bath…”

He wrinkled his nose, and Leorio was in silent agreement. All the room had was a small basin, which would require one to stand up in the cold air, naked.

“Or, sharing warmth. Body heat. I can get my sleeping bag, and, y’know.”

His nose remained scrunched. “Your professional doctor’s treatment is cuddling?”

Leorio shrugged helplessly. He hadn’t expected the blond to agree anyway. “You can use my sleeping bag anyway, but It’s not warm enough to do much. Human bodies are the real effective source of heat.”

Kurapika sighed. “Fine. I’m not inclined to steal your things and leave you in the cold.”

Leorio nodded in silent appreciation and grabbed his bag, handing it to the blond, who hurriedly unbuttoned the side and wiggled in. After a moment of hesitation, he followed suit. He slid in carefully, making sure not to touch the blond anywhere that would offend him, but it was hard in the small space. Kurapika had turned away so that his back was to him, and shifted over to make more room. It was already warmer, although he could feel the boy next to him shivering. 

“Is it okay if I…”

“Do whatever you need,” Kurapika said, not unkindly. “Whatever it takes for me to feel my limbs again. I trust you not to do anything despicable.”

And so he awkwardly pressed against him, wrapping an arm over his torso. He effectively covered the blond like a blanket- their height difference was not insignificant, and Kurapika was rather thin. Honestly, cuddling with a complete stranger would have been fine. But cuddling with Kurapika… his heart was beating way too fast, and he knew the boy probably heard it. His head was against Leorio’s chest. His ass was pressed against his lower stomach. One wrong move and this would be way more embarrassing than it already was.

“I think we’re snowed in,” He said, an attempt to make this a casual occurrence. “I hope you’re not on any sort of schedule. We could be stuck here for a day or two.”

“I’m not. But it’s rather unfortunate. I dislike being in one place for too long.”

Leorio hummed in agreement. Most travelers of the road were the equivalent of nomads. They all shared a similar mindset. Leorio had used the road many times in the past, although this was his longest journey so far.

“You were right,” Kurapika said, suddenly. “I’m growing warmer. My limbs are thawing.”

He had stopped shaking, too. Leorio smiled, although he knew he couldn’t see it. “Told ya.”

The conversation lulled. The comfort of having a pretty human in his arms and the sound of the blizzard outside had Leorio feeling sleepy. He didn’t know what time of day it was- it had probably been early morning when he first woke. 

And then Kurapika shifted, and Leorio’s sleepiness faded instantly. The wrong move he had thought of earlier. This was it. The blond’s ass was pressed right against his crotch. And all the blood in his body effectively moved south. He didn’t move. Kurapika didn’t either- it was very possible he was asleep. His breathing was deep and even- no hitch to suggest that he was aware of the crisis Leorio was going through. He relaxed with a sigh, and managed to move slightly so that, hopefully, the blond wouldn’t be offended if he woke up.

They stayed like that for a while. At some point, Leorio must have fallen asleep as well, because he woke to something poking him in the cheek. Blearily, he opened his eyes to see a face very close to his own. Kurapika was looking up at him, probably at an uncomfortable angle, as his body was still facing away.

“I think it’s lunchtime,” He said, voice husky from sleep. “And also, I can’t move.”

Leorio had enveloped him in a bear hug, apparently. He released his arms sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. I’m warm, so. We should go eat something.”

“Oh, yeah. Right. I’ll just-” Leorio shifted, attempting to escape the confines of the sleeping bag. It was a tight fit. Eventually, he gave up and slid onto the floor like some sort of slug creature. The cold air hit him like a bunch of tiny needles, and he hissed in discomfort.

Kurapika let out a tiny laugh, covering his mouth with an elegant hand. It was cute. Very cute. 

They both put on as many layers as possible. Leorio had on three trousers, two tunics, a sweater, and his usual overcoat. Also, a lumpy woolen hat that made Kurapika giggle again.

The blond had less winter gear, so Leorio lent him his extra sweater, a cream-colored wool affair. It was large on him, the sleeves covering his hands, and he had to admit he liked how it looked on him. Something about seeing the boy in his clothing…

They set off to the dining room looking utterly ridiculous, but neither cared. They were warm.

The bartender greeted them cheerily from behind the bar when they walked in. She was dressed similarly, with a scarf and gloves, cheeks rosy from the cold. There were only two other people in the room, and they didn’t bother to look up from their food. In the fireplace, a fire crackled.

As they sat at the table closest to the fire, she approached with two steaming mugs, setting them down on the stained wood before them. It smelled like strong coffee.

“Afternoon, boys. That’s on the house,” She said, and Leorio realized she couldn’t have been much older than him. She had a matronly air.

“Thanks very much, Ma’am. Fine weather, huh?” He replied, knowing that Kurapika would not.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “I’m freezing my ass off. And enough of that ma’am thing. Makes me feel ancient. Call me Melody.”

“Of course, Melody. Sorry ‘bout that. Watcha got on the menu?”

“We got bean soup and bread.”

“Excellent,” Leorio smiled. “I love bean soup and bread.”

She laughed and sauntered off, back towards the door that probably led to the kitchen.

He turned back to Kurapika, who had been watching the scene with amusement in his eyes.

“How are you so friendly?” He asked, in an almost amazed tone.

Leorio shrugged. “I like people. They’re interesting.”

The blond snorted. “I’ve met some painfully uninteresting people.”

“Yeah. But I’ve also met some painfully interesting people. You never know until you start asking questions. Like you, for example.”

He blinked. “Me?”

“Mhm. You’re one of the most interesting people I’ve met on the road. Even though you were tight-lipped, at first. And still are.”

“Thanks, I think…”

“You’re welcome,” He winked, and Kurapika turned a very subtle shade of pink.

Unfortunately, Melody returned before he could tease the poor boy even more. She set two bowls down and a basket of bread, dusted off her hands, and said “enjoy, lads” before turning back to the kitchen.

The soup was good. Leorio made a note to pay his compliments to the chef. If there was a chef. It was possible that Melody or her mother had cooked the meal, as he hadn’t seen any other staff at the inn.

His companion hummed in appreciation. He was tearing a roll of bread apart with elegant fingers. The effect was rather creature-like. Which reminded Leorio…

“How is it possible that you lived in the Great Forest? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Kurapika looked up from his roll. He was munching on a piece of it, and he swallowed hard before saying, “I… surprisingly, I don’t mind. I don’t suppose you’ve heard the stories.”

“Yeah, about the fairies and elves and shit?”

He groaned in apparent annoyance, looking around the room quickly. There was nobody else- the other two people had left. “Keep it down, will you?”

“Right. Sorry,” He hadn’t realized he was being loud. Too loud for secret-sharing, apparently.

“I don’t know what kinds you’ve heard, but… some of them ring true.”

Leorio’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? Like what?”

“Well, there are elves, imps, fae, and other things that you probably don’t have names for…”

“So are you… one of those?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“But my people were something similar,” Leorio noted the use of past tense. “Something related to the elves. If you don’t know, elves are human-like. They look the exact same, except for pointed ears and a haunting beauty. Also, they live unnaturally long lives, and are much stronger than humans.”

Leorio nodded, as if he knew this. It wasn’t completely absurd for this to be true- he’d heard many travelers sharing stories of encounters with forest creatures, but he tended to dismiss them.

“My people, the Kurta, were a race of half-human half-elf. Or so the stories go. But I believe some other creatures got mixed in along the line, because we have traits that belong to neither species. A Kurta generally has human ears and lifespans and elven beauty and strength. But we also have pointed canines, which is an imp trait…”

For effect, he opened his mouth and bared his teeth, and indeed, he had sharpened fangs, like that of a wolf. Now Leorio understood his habit of covering his mouth when he laughed. 

“...and our most defining trait is our eyes. When a Kurta feels strong emotion, their eyes turn bright crimson. It’s almost impossible to hide, which is why I was the first ever to leave the forest, and only out of necessity.”

“So, I haven’t seen you feel strong emotion?”

“You might have. But I developed, with the help of a witch, a type of potion that turns my eyes brown, which can conceal the less intense colors. However, if I get too emotional, the red shines through.”

“Okay, wow. Wow. Um,” Leorio said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. “You are definitely the most interesting person I’ve met.”

He laughed at that, and didn’t cover his mouth, sharp canines flashing in the soft light.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for some very mild sexual harassment at the end?

“Seriously, this explains a lot. Like, why you’re so… elegant. And, like, pretty.”

They had finished their meal and were back in their room. They sat on the bed, covered in various clothes and blankets and sleeping bags. Kurapika had a book out, and was trying to read, but apparently Leorio was still processing the information he had been given. Kurapika supposed he should answer the random questions- it would be cruel to drop those possibly worldview-shifting facts and then not elaborate. 

“Is that a compliment?” He said, in response. Even after spending the past day with the man, he still hadn’t gotten used to Leorio’s friendliness- it felt like flirting. And his face never failed to warm, embarrassingly. No human had ever affected him like this.

“Of course,” Leorio replied. He was leaned back against the wall, pressed against Kurapika’s side, who huddled next to him gratefully. The man was like a human furnace, honestly. “Can I see your fangs again?”

Kurapika sighed. “What is your obsession with my teeth?”

He felt the man shrug. “It’s, like… the only physical proof that I can see. Just confirming that I’m not going crazy, I guess. And I think they’re cute.”

Rolling his eyes and ignoring (unsuccessfully) the use of the word ‘cute’, Kurapika turned to bare his teeth at the man. Leorio peered down at him through his glasses, warm brown eyes squinting. With him this close, the blond realized that his lips, quirked into a small smile, were surprisingly full and soft-looking. He hadn’t kissed many men, but every one had chapped lips that scraped against his own unpleasantly. He realized he was staring, and looked away quickly, clearing his throat. 

“So, what would it take for your eyes to go red enough to be seen through that witch stuff?”

“Hm. Any strong emotion, I suppose. Anger, most likely, but I don’t think even you could annoy me enough for that. Extreme sadness, happiness, excitement…” He mused. It was strange talking about this with anyone. The truth of the Great Forest wasn’t a carefully guarded secret- any man brave enough to go in had a right to know. However, it wasn’t common knowledge because most people dismissed it as mere fantasy (or because most men that went in ended up dead). He wasn’t sure why he was telling Leorio all this, though. Something about the man was trustworthy.

“Excitement, like…”

“Oh, gross, Leorio.”

He laughed. “You said it, not me.”

“I didn’t say anything. You /implied/ it.”

“Is that a no, then?”

“It’s- it’s not a no,” Kurapika’s face was growing hot, and he ducked his head, using blond hair to cover his embarrassment.

“Aha! So-”

“Nope,” He interrupted. “No more questions.”

Leorio was chuckling in a self-satisfied manner. “Okay, okay. I’ll let you enjoy your reading in silence.”

The blissful silence lasted a few hours. Leorio fetched some sort of heavy medical volume from his bag, and sifted through it, taking careful notes in the margins with a pen and ink. His handwriting, Kurapika noted as he looked over, was messy and almost impossible to read. 

It was hard to focus on his own book. It was a collection of ancient tales from the road, which he had found in a used bookstore in the last town he had been to. But, as riveting as the stories were, they didn’t manage to capture his attention. His mind kept wandering over to Leorio, supplying thoughts that he would never admit out loud. 

Outside, the wind was as strong as ever, whistling through every crack in the building and bringing the extreme cold of winter along with it. Kurapika had tried to look outside at the snow, but everything was varying shades of white and pale gray. He had only seen snow twice before, and as much as he hated the chill, he embraced the powerful silence and frigid beauty that came with it. But he’d never experienced a storm of this magnitude. He worried about his violin, too, in this temperature. It would be severely out of tune, at best. At worst- irreparably damaged. He had moved the case to the warmest corner (Leorio’s corner) and hidden it under a pile of bags, but still- he worried.

Kurapika was also concerned about their sleeping arrangements. Most likely, they would sleep together in the same position as that morning. But it seemed that both of them had been in a rather unfortunate situation. He supposed it was normal, for a young man in the morning. But that was more of a human thing, so only Leorio was accounted for in that excuse. Kurapika’s body had reacted to what he felt against him when he was not-so-gracefully pretending to be fast asleep. He was grimacing just thinking about it.

Kurapika’s mind swam in circles until, eventually, Leorio rescued him from his misery.

“I think it’s dinnertime,” He declared, shutting his book with a dramatic thud.

The blond nodded in agreement. It was difficult to tell, but it seemed the light grays outside had turned into medium grays. “Let us go eat.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dinner was squash soup and bread. Leorio was starting to sense a pattern. But he gratefully accepted the meal from Melody, as well as the hot apple cider that she brought (on the house). When Kurapika tasted the cider, his eyes lit up in delight. Leorio peered at them, just in case they turned a faint red, but no such luck. Apparently delicious food didn’t trigger an intense enough emotional response.

“This is similar to something we had in my home,” He said, taking another sip. The dining area and bar were busy, so they had to be careful with their choice of words just in case anyone overheard and thought they were insane. “Except the fruit it was made with was a native species.”

“I didn’t know there were fruits native to the region,” Leorio mused. 

“Yes. And many other things, as well. It’s rather… unique. Like a different world, some have said.”

“I’d like to visit.”

“You’d perish,” The blond said, in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“What if you were with me?”

“Then, I think, you would be fine.”

It was difficult to talk about the subject without being explicit, so they moved on. Leorio asked him about the book he had been reading. Apparently, he always carried two or three with him, selling the old ones for small sums and buying new ones at every town he stopped in. It was admirable- Leorio only read medical books, and he didn’t necessarily enjoy it. He told Kurapika as much, who then made a comment about Leorio’s handwriting that he could tell had been on his tongue for a while. He announced the insult with relish, a smug smile on his face as he nibbled on a piece of bread. For someone who was literally a creature that grew up in the great forest, the blond was quite snobbish. He could easily be mistaken for the son of a minor noble.

They chatted easily, comforted by the crowd and the crackling fireplace, as well as warm soup and cider in their stomachs. Kurapika was opening up to him, slowly, and Leorio found that he was rather funny (even if he didn’t mean to be) and thoughtful. He was also sad. Leorio considered himself to be emotionally intelligent, and that meant he recognized the hollowness of his words when he described his clan and the sorrow in his eyes, which was almost constant. He had taken to trying to make Kurapika laugh as much as possible, just to see the look fade from his eyes, if only for a short while.

“Hey,” A rough voice interrupted their conversation about their opinions on the four seasons- Leorio liked summer, Kurapika preferred autumn, and they had been playfully arguing about it. Well, Leorio was playful. The blond defended his own opinions like a dog in possession of a particularly meaty bone.

Leorio looked up to see a man standing over them, completely ignoring him in favor of staring at Kurapika. It was the man from the night before- the greasy old one who had sent Kurapika a drink. “You a gal?”

The blond looked up slowly from his mug of cider, complete and utter annoyance written across his face. “Why should I tell you anything about myself?”

The man crossed his arms. He was rather tall and heavyset, so it was almost an intimidating effect. Leorio was itching in his seat, trying not to jump up and kick the guy in the balls. “Aw, don’ be like that, sweetheart. It’s jus’ a simple question.”

He turned back to his mug. “Not interested.”

The man growled, leaning over to place a large, grubby hand on the table. He was very much in Kurapika’s personal space, and Leorio’s anger grew.

“Hey,” Leorio said, and was surprised at the ferocity in his own voice. “He said he’s not interested. Leave him alone.”

The old man didn’t even turn around to look at him. “So you’re a little boy, huh? Doesn’ matter. I’ll stick my cock in any hole with a face like that attached to it-”

Kurapika’s head snapped up before Leorio could even react, and then he was standing behind the man, forcibly bending him over so that his face was smashed into the table, holding his arm on his back in a way that Leorio knew could dislocate his shoulder. His other hand grabbed a butter knife off the table and pressed it against his throat. The expression on his face was still annoyed, although more intense. Leorio remembered him saying he was used to things like this, and he felt a surge of pity mixed with anger.

The man cried out as his face hit the table with a sickening crunch. 

“The thing about a butter knife,” Kurapika hissed, earring flashing red as he leaned over. “Is that it’s rather dull. So to cut your ‘cock’ off, I’d have to really hack at it. It would take a long while. You might even faint from pain or blood loss.”

Leorio whistled, long and low, mostly without meaning to. The man whimpered helplessly in front of him.

“Try anything like that again, on anyone, and I’ll personally come and make good on that threat,” He let go of his grip on the man, stepping away. The man stood up slowly, and his nose was dripping blood, soaking into his scraggly beard. He opened his mouth as if to say something.

And then, quick as lightning, Kurapika’s knee jerked, and made direct contact with the man’s groin. And he howled, collapsing to the floor, as the blond sat back down in his chair like nothing had happened.

Around them, the room had gone silent. Leorio glanced around to see everyone staring at the small, pretty violinist that had just easily taken down a giant middle-aged man with a few choice words and a crotch-shot, who was now back to casually sipping his apple cider. The man in question was crawling away from them, on his hands and knees, like a pitiful dog. Leorio resisted the urge to snort at the sight. Slowly, the chatter started back up again. He had a feeling he knew what the topic of conversation would be.

“Holy shit,” He turned back to Kurapika. “That was badass.”

The blond frowned into his mug. “I dislike having to do things like that. It brings far too much attention to myself.”

“Badass attention,” Leorio crowed.

“What does that even mean?” He snapped, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

They ended up retiring early, retreating to their shared room to escape the whispers and stares that had begun after Kurapika’s little show. Besides, they were both tired from lack of sleep the previous night.

As they settled back into their previously decided cuddling position, Kurapika sighed and practically nestled into Leorio, like a cat. His heart fluttered.

“Um…” Leorio said, quietly. “Can I ask you a question that will probably offend you?”

“I suppose.”

“You said that happens a lot… do you ever- I mean, do you ever reciprocate? Like, if a man or a woman flirts with you and you think they’re attractive, do you… or do Kurta not have those… urges…?” He immediately regretted asking, and he closed his eyes tightly, preparing for a knee to the groin. But it didn’t happen.

“Yes, Leorio. Kurta are just about as sexually active as humans, although your kind are far more… dirty about it,” He could audibly hear the disdain in Kurapika’s voice at that. “And, yes. There have been times when I’ve ‘reciprocated’. I’ve found men to be more enjoyable than women, personally, if they know what they’re doing.”

There was a hitch in his voice at the last sentence, and it occurred to Leorio that he might be worried that Leorio would react poorly to that. There were a lot of people that regarded men being with other men, as well as women being with other women, unnatural. “Interesting… I’ve found that they’re both enjoyable, for different reasons.”

Kurapika relaxed against him, and Leorio realized he had hit the nail on the head, so to speak. “Women are, like, soft and curvy, and men are more rough and-”

“Okay,” The blond interrupted. “That’s enough lewdity for one day. Goodnight, Leorio.”

Leorio chuckled. “Night, sunshine.”

And they fell asleep easily, curled tightly together, as the storm raged on outside.


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um, yeah. so. rating change has happened, because of this chapter

Kurapika was blissfully warm and content, wrapped in a heavy blanket. A breathing blanket. A Leorio blanket. 

He blinked, opening his eyes. It was dark. Was it still nighttime? But no- he couldn’t see anything at all. Slowly, his brain began to function, piecing the scene together mentally. It seemed his head was pressed against what was probably Leorio’s chest- he could hear a slow, steady heartbeat. Leorio’s long arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer, and their legs had tangled at some point, so that one of the man’s was in between his own. Pressed against… well. Pressed against what was between his legs. His blood stirred, heating up, and he tried to think depressing thoughts, willing his body into submission. It didn’t really work.

The downside of sleeping with Leorio was that he could barely move until the man woke up, and he didn’t feel like using his elven strength to push him away (that could result in him flying across the room). Not that he was uncomfortable- he was very comfortable, being held like that, hiding from the snowstorm. 

After some time, when Kurapika had begun to drift back into a slumber, the Leorio blanket moved, slightly. And grumbled.

“Uhnnn,” It said. Kurapika didn’t know if that was what he actually said, or if it was muffled by whatever was covering his ear. The man shifted, pulling his leg bag and loosening his arms, and the blond was finally able to move his neck, so that he could gaze up at Leorio. 

He blinked. It was bright, for some reason.

“Mornin’... looks like… the storms letting up,” Leorio mumbled, looking down to meet his gaze. His eyes were squinted against the harsh light. 

“Well, I can’t really see anything except your big head.”

“Lucky you,” He grinned cheekily, and Kurapika poked him in the ribs. “Ouch.”

The blond scooted up a bit, so that he lay on the single pillow, facing Leorio. He had taken to using the man’s bicep as a pillow instead, so it was cold where his head hadn’t been. 

“You’re scruffy,” He said, eyeing his jawline. 

“I look manly,” Leorio replied, still with that smile. He leaned forward and rubbed his jaw against Kurapika’s cheek, so that the facial hair scratched against smooth skin. The blond yelped and huffed in displeasure.

“Ruffian,” He muttered, as Leorio pulled back. But he only pulled back a small amount, and his face was much closer than before. The tips of their noses, both pink from the chilly air and probably something else, almost touched. The man’s eyes were dark, heavy-lidded from sleep. His pupils were blown as he stared directly at Kurapika. And then they were fluttering closed as the blond tilted his head slightly, subconsciously, and brushed his lips against Leorio’s.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Leorio was being kissed by an ethereal woodland creature, and it was as good as it sounded. 

Kurapika’s mouth was warm (likely due to the fact that he had spent the majority of the night with his face pressed into Leorio’s chest) and soft, and he opened it slightly, enough to suck the tip of Leorio’s tongue. He groaned, probably, and felt fingertips brush against his cheek. 

It ended as suddenly as it had begun.

“Sorry,” Kurapika gasped slightly. Leorio opened his eyes, and saw pink. Specifically, pink cheeks and nose, and…

“Oh my god,” He said, excitedly. “The red eye thing is happening. Kind of.”

The Kurta’s irises shone a faint crimson, just barely visible through the brown. 

He groaned, turning over so that he lay facing the ceiling, blond hair fanning around him like a halo. “Sorry.”

“Woah, what’re you apologizing for?” Leorio frowned.

His gaze was fixed on the ceiling (admiring the dark pine?). Kurapika’s eyelashes were long and blond, Leorio noticed. “I should not have done that.”

“Oh,” He replied. “So why did you?”

“I’m not sure.”

Leorio had no idea what to say, for once. Apparently the blond regretted kissing him immediately after doing it. Had he been that bad? He sighed. “Okay, then, I’m sorry too. If I made you uncomfortable, or…”

“You didn’t. It’s fine. We should go down for breakfast.”

The meal was an awkward affair. They hadn’t spoken more than a few words since the incident, and the Kurta seemed to be in a foul mood. He kept picking up his oatmeal, staring at it with that wrinkled nose of disgust, and then plopping it back into the bowl. Leorio was close to confiscating the food. Every attempt at conversation was shot down, brutally, using one syllable answers as deadly weapons. Eventually, he gave up, and they returned to their room in the same miserable silence.

“Looks like the storm might be gone by tomorrow.”

They were sitting on the bed, not touching, reading their individual volumes. Leorio found himself doodling in the margins of his medical book instead of taking notes.

“Mm,” Kurapika replied, not looking up. He had tied his hair back in that damned ponytail, and it had Leorio’s mind wandering to all sorts of unseemly places. 

“Look, are you going to keep sulking, or-”

“I’m going to bathe,” The blond interrupted, shutting his book with a finalizing snap and climbing off the bed. Leorio watched him disappear into the bathroom, feeling irritation wash over him. At first, he had felt guilty, but he had realized that Kurapika’s anger wasn’t necessarily directed at him. He was mad at himself, for some reason, and was lashing out at Leorio. It was rather childish, but then again, the blond was barely legally considered an adult.

“Oy, don’t use all the water,” Leorio called. The day before, he had collected snow from the window sill and melted it in the wash-basin. In the bathroom there was a tiny oven, used to heat the water, and a single log. It would warm the water enough to make it bearable, hopefully.

After an unnecessarily long time (Kurapika was probably avoiding him by sitting in the bathroom) he returned with damp hair and a slightly less harsh scowl.

Leorio didn’t bother talking, just passed him as he stepped into the bathroom. He stared at the basin- Kurapika had left him some clean water, at least. Sighing, he stripped down as fast as possible and felt the water. It was frigid.

He took the fastest bath of his life. Less time for his nipples to fall off.

When he stepped out of the room, Kurapika was huddled on the bed, wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags and clothes.

“That was fucking freezing,” Leorio declared, practically diving next to the blond.

“Yes,” The Kurta said, back to looking pointedly at his book. But there was a tiny, tiny hint of a smile on his lips at Leorio’s chattering teeth. 

He took that as a victory. Leorio spent the rest of the day cracking jokes and asking questions- it felt like the first time they had met. Except now he knew how to make Kurapika laugh, and he felt a twinge every time his lips quirked or he had to look away to hide his amusement. Sometime after lunch, they had made it back to one-sentence answers, instead of one syllable, but he could tell that something was still bothering the blond.

When they stepped out of their room to go to eat dinner, he noticed that Kurapika had his violin case slung over his back.

“You gonna play tonight?”

“Mhm. If it’s not broken,” He nodded. He was focused intently on his feet as they descended the tiny staircase.

“Cause of the cold?”

“Yes.”

When they sat at their usual table, Melody approached with the regular mugs and a smile.

“Hello,” She called cheerily, and then her eyes landed on Kurapika’s case, which rested against his chair. “You gonna play for us, hun?”

“Yes.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” She beamed. “Also, we got somethin’ other than soup tonight. And I’ll bring ya some extra bread rolls. I know how much you like them.”

She winked at Kurapika, who smiled slightly in acknowledgment. He was, indeed, an avid consumer of bread.

As it turned out, the something other than soup was beef and potatoes. When Melody set the plates in front of them, the blond eyed it with something akin to disgust.

“Not a fan of beef and potatoes?” Leorio queried.

“I don’t eat meat.”

“Is that a Kurta thing?” He said the word quietly, just in case.

“Not really.”

He seemed to enjoy the potatoes, however, despite his prudish look. After finishing, Kurapika stood, and, without saying a word, grabbed his case and walked over to the corner, navigating through the crowded tables. 

Leorio watched the process of him taking out his violin, checking for cracks, and then tuning it (based on his face, it was very out of tune, but still in one piece). He sipped his mug of ale thoughtfully, as the blond played a scale, and then another. The room grew quiet. It was interesting to Leorio that as much as Kurapika seemed to dislike crowds and people in general, he had a calm, commanding presence over them that was apparent when he played his violin, or when he was beating people up and ordering them around.

As Kurapika began to play, Melody came over to sit down across from Leorio, in his seat. Her gaze, like everyone else in the room, was fixated on the violinist in the corner.

The songs, although similar to the first night, had a different feeling. Probably some of that sulking anger that had been festering since this morning. It had a haunting effect on the music- Leorio could practically picture the huge forest that Kurapika had grown up in. It was rumored to have trees taller than castles, and a heavy fog that curled around them, which never let up, even in summer. Because of the enormity of the place and the fact that it was in a mountainous valley, it didn’t experience seasons, which could explain Kurapika’s sensitivity to the cold. Leorio imagined a tiny blond Kurta running around in the huge trees, laughing with a wide, fanged smile. He had probably been happy and carefree, once. What had changed?

Something nudged his foot, and he looked up to see Melody watching him thoughtfully, leaned into the table on intertwined fingers.

“Can I ask,” She whispered, just loud enough for Leorio to hear. “Did something happen between you two?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, but he knew his thoughts were probably written all over his face.

“I’m not sure what your relationship is, but he seems to be upset about something.”

“I’m not sure what our relationship is, either,” He grumbled. “But… something happened this morning, and he’s been moody all day because of it.”

“You don’t know why, and he won’t tell you?” She guessed.

He nodded. 

“Let me give you a hint, then,” Melody said. “I have a… a sort of gift for hearing and interpreting the human heart.”

Something about her description and mannerisms were vaguely reminiscent of when Kurapika was telling him about the Great Forest and the Kurta. Leorio filed that information away to examine later.

“When you’re together, your heartbeats match. They tell of excitement and romance, and some other things that are similar,” She waved a single finger in the air, as if painting a picture. “But Kurapika’s is subdued, like he’s trying to fight it. Make of that what you will.”

Melody turned around, and Leorio was left to mull over whatever the hell she just said. 

Kurapika’s performance ended with just as much applause as the first night, and Leorio was so zoned out that he didn’t notice the blond until he was sitting in front of him. Apparently, the bartender had left at some point.

“That was great,” He said, and of course, it was true.

“Thank you,” The violinist did look less sullen, now. It seemed that playing had helped him calm down.

“Listen, Kurapika,” Leorio said, folding his arms like a mother scolding her child. “I think we need to talk.”

“Yes, I think we do.”

Oh. He had not been expecting him to agree. “Um, okay, great. Do you wanna head up to the room…?”

They ended up sitting in their usual spot on the bed. Kurapika was gazing out of the window, at the softly falling snow. Leorio leaned against the wall, watching him. Memorizing his profile.

It was too quiet. “Why are you angry with me?”

The Kurta sighed. “I’m not angry with you, Leorio.”

He nodded- he’d thought as much.

“It’s just-” He groaned. “I hate talking about these things.”

Leorio smiled, despite himself. “I’ve realized.”

“Alright. Remember when you asked me about the people I’ve been with?”

“Mhm,” He remember very clearly, actually.

“Those were strangers, like you were. And I got pleasure from the interaction, physically. However, I had no emotional connection with them. And I didn’t want to.”

Kurapika paused, gathering his thoughts. He was very intently not looking away from the window. “My eyes never changed color with them, Leorio. Not even when they were… well. You can contextualize and assume.”

He could indeed. “So, you’re worried about…”

He finally tore his eyes away from the snow, and they were filled with a reflection of the storm outside. “I don’t want to overwhelm you. I was stupid to get so attached in such a short time, and I understand that you probably don’t see me as anything more than a-”

“Woah, woah,” Leorio cut him off. “First off, don’t go assuming things about me. I’m not like that awful guy the other night. And I definitely don’t see you as anything like /that/. Second, I… you could say I’m just as ‘emotionally attached’. Probably more. Sure, at first I thought you were just hot and rude-”

Kurapika rolled his eyes, but the corners crinkled.

“-but then you started telling me things about yourself, and doing things that were totally badass, and I was like, shit.”

He was smiling now, and that had Leorio smiling, too.

“This is an unfortunate situation,” The Kurta observed.

“How so?”

“Well, after this storm ends we might never see each other again…”

“Then we’ve gotta make it count, right?” He was grinning cockily, but his heart hammered in his chest.

“I suppose,” Kurapika mused, and then he was climbing out of his sleeping bag (still wrapped in a blanket and Leorio’s sweater, which he had taken to wearing around the inn), and sinking into his lap, legs folded. Leorio’s heart felt like it was in his throat, and his ears. And then he couldn’t focus on anything but the hands on his shoulders and the lips against his own.

He made a half-whimper half-groan noise that would be embarrassing later, but he didn’t care, because Kurapika was doing that thing where he pulled his tongue into his mouth and then met it with his own. Leorio reached for the Kurta, ran his hands down to his lower back, pulling him closer, so that everything was touching, and he could feel both of their growing arousal. The heat in his lower stomach swelled, swirling around as the boy straddled his lap and pressed them together.

Kurapika leaned back a bit, licked Leorio’s lips and bit gently down on the bottom one, which was arguably the best thing that had ever happened to him. When the blond stopped, he looked up from his half-lidded daze to see dark crimson eyes staring at him. It was a beautiful sight.

And then he was reaching behind him, taking his hands off Leorio’s shoulder to tie his hair back in the way that was ever so distracting. He smirked slightly at what was probably a stupid look on Leorio’s face, before leaning back down to press a kiss right underneath his jaw. He nibbled and sucked on his neck in a way that would definitely leave marks. Good, Leorio thought. I want them to know. He didn’t know who ‘them’ was, but his brain was too fried to do any more thinking.

Slowly, agonizingly, Kurapika slipped his hands underneath the hem of Leorio’s sweaters and tunic, tracing the shape of his abs, and the v-line underneath. His head fell back against the wall with a thunk, and then an obnoxiously loud sound was dragged out of his mouth as those hands slipped under his waistband.

“Fuck,” He whispered, into the darkening room, as his body jerked, and he gripped that damned ponytail like a lifeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fact that i can read hardcore porn like :/ but that i literally closed my eyes while writing some of this... embarrassing


	5. 5

Kurapika didn’t remember falling asleep, and he didn’t remember waking up. But he lay, staring at a crack in the wall across from him, at some indecent hour of the day, listening to Leorio’s easy breathing. He was on top of him, sprawled, using his bare chest as a pillow. They had managed to put on pants, and Kurapika pulled on his borrowed sweater, before crawling underneath the pile of blankets that had amassed on their bed and slipping into the sleeping bag. He recalled his conversations with Leorio, on the topic of previous sexual partners. The man hadn’t bragged about that experience, but he was confident, and, well, very good in bed. Perhaps that was also due to the fact that Kurapika was, unfortunately, emotionally involved with him. He had felt his eyes turn red, and they had stayed that way the whole night. He had stopped being embarrassed about it after a while.

“Morning, sunshine,” Leorio’s voice rumbled in his ear. Kurapika hadn’t scolded him for that nickname, for some reason, even though he generally disliked pet names. Something about the way that Leorio said it didn’t sound… awful.

“More like afternoon,” He replied. 

“Damn. Really?” Leorio groaned. Kurapika moved, resting his chin on his chest so that he could see the man’s sleepy, dazed expression. He had bruising marks speckling his neck, and collarbones, and chest, and probably other places. 

“Mhm. And, I believe the storm is gone. The sun is bright, so the snow will start to melt.”

“That means…”

“Yes. We can leave, today, if we feel so inclined,” His heart was in his throat. He didn’t want to leave, even though he had places to be and tasks to be done. 

“Do you feel so inclined?” Leorio furrowed his dark brows. He looked odd without his glasses.

“I should probably get back on the road,” Kurapika replied, but even to his own ears, he sounded reluctant.

“Um. Do you have somewhere to be? If you don’t mind me asking. I mean, is there a reason you’re on the road?”

“Yes,” He hesitated. “I- my people were killed.”

“Oh,” Leorio exhaled, and the look in his eyes was, thankfully, not one of pity, but of sorrow. “What happened?”

“It was a few years ago. I was already on the road, although not far from home. I had begged the elders to let me leave, to see the world. I was foolish and naive. When I returned, I found them-” He swallowed. The anger was still there, hot in his chest, burning up any sadness he dared to feel. He had allowed it to fester- motivation. “Humans had taken their eyes, and left their corpses in our village to rot. There are certain groups that know of the secrets in the great forest, as you call it. There’s a reason it’s not well known. Humans are greedy, and they pay large sums of money for new, shiny things. Such as the crimson of Kurta eyes.”

Kurapika rested his cheek back down on Leorio’s chest. His gaze was making it difficult to ignore that heavy feeling, which resided deep in his bones, in favor of anger. He felt a large hand rest on his head, gentle.

“I’m looking for the eyes, and the people that murdered them. That’s why I’m on the road.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Leorio said, softly. He didn’t apologize, which was a human habit that Kurapika hated. He supposed that indicated the man had experienced his own form of loss. 

There was a silence, and Kurapika stared at the crack in the wall like his life depended on it. The hand in his hair, and the arm around his waist, were steadying. He hadn’t felt any sort of comfort, especially not so great as this, since he had found everyone he knew and loved lying dead on the forest floor. He felt guilty, being able to have this with Leorio.

“Where are you traveling to, then?”

“Actually…” Kurapika paused. “I’m heading to the main city.”

“Wait, seriously? You know that’s where I’m going, right?”

“Yes.”

“Wanna travel there together?”

“It’s not safe to be with me. The people I’m after are dangerous,” He was probably going to say yes anyway, but for the sake of his pride, he had to at least attempt to argue.

“I’m not helpless. I’ve been traveling alone for years, and I can defend myself,” Leorio looked indignant.

Kurapika sighed. “Fine.”

“Great!” He looked up to see Leorio beaming at him. The look was so surprisingly cute that it was easy to justify the kiss that he pressed to the corner of his mouth (he could not, however, justify the feeling that seemed to be slowly welling up inside him every time they talked, or touched).

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“You two headin’ out today?” Melody asked, as she set the usual mugs in front of them.

“Yup,” Leorio said, cheerfully. He had been surprised at Kurapika’s (albeit reluctant) agreement for them to travel together, but was happy nonetheless. 

“That’s a shame. We’re gonna miss your playin’, hun,” She said to the blond, who smiled apologetically. She turned back to Leorio. “Did ya figure it out?”

“Yep. Thanks, Melody. For everything.”

“Anytime, anytime.”

As she walked away, Kurapika narrowed his eyes. “Figure what out?”

“Nothing important,” He said, shrugging. 

“Right. Well, we should leave soon. Normally, I’d like to be on the road by sunrise, so we’re already behind schedule.”

Leorio groaned, slumping in his seat. “I should’ve known you’d be like this.”

“You could just not come with me,” He folded his arms. He was still wearing Leorio’s sweater, over his tabard. 

“Nice try.”

They packed up their stuff in the early hours of the afternoon. Leorio had stuck his head out of the front door and declared it “medium-cold and sloppy” outside, which meant that they wore their usual heavy boots and only a few layers. Leorio had on his usual long coat, which was getting a little worse for wear, and his lumpy hat. Kurapika pulled on his own coat over the sweater (Leorio had decided not to ask for it back), and fingerless gloves. They looked like a pair of proper travelers. Their time in the Autumn Leaf Inn had been like a dream, away from the usual grueling days spent walking miles on the road. Leorio was prepared to be sore.

As they entered the front hall, a voice called from behind them.

“Goodbye, boys,” It was the innkeeper, sitting at her desk like it was a throne. “If you trashed the room, I'll hunt you down.”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for letting us stay, kinda,” Leorio replied. Kurapika, apparently not having anything to add, was already leaving through the front door. He hurried to catch up.

As he stepped outside, his boots sloshed in the melting snow, and the bright sun seared into his eyes. “Ugh.”

“If you walk slow, I’m leaving you behind,” The blond said, and then set off down the road.

The village was quiet as they left, trudging through the dirty slush on the ground. The only sound came from that and their bags rustling and clinking.

There would be nobody else around for miles. The road, the path that connected the north and the south of the country, was mostly used by people like them. There were other, fancier ways to get around- cobblestone streets, and horses. This method of travel was dangerous, frequented by bandits and thieves, and not maintained in any way, so that rock slides were common. But it was fast and cheap, so those brave or daring enough to suffer the consequences, or desperate enough to get to a location by any means, became travelers of the road.

As of now, they were slightly above the true center of the country, which was long and narrow. At the top, there were mountains. At the bottom, there were cities. To the right, a high desert. And to the left was the Great Forest.

“Hey, Kurapika,” He said, breaking the silence. “Where were you coming from, before this?”

“The north. I was following some information.”

“Did you find anything?”

“Yes. More information,” His eyes were steady, fixed on the path in front of them. The road was surrounded by short, stubby trees and shrubbery. Most of the trees were bare.

“Okay, that’s… good. Nice.”

Apparently, Kurapika wasn’t much of a talker, especially when he was walking. But Leorio was. So he chatted aimlessly, telling more stories about the places he’d been, and the stupid things he’d done in those places (some of which made Kurapika snort). They had walked what was probably seven or eight miles, in four-ish hours, when the sun had begun sinking on the horizon. 

Leorio looked around, taking note of their surroundings. They were still in the same sparse region, and most of the snow had melted due to the warmer weather.

“Should we set up camp?” He said.

Kurapika nodded. “We should get off the road.”

They needed to find a place far enough off the road so that they couldn’t be seen, but not so far that they’d be easily lost. Leorio followed him through the trees, accidentally grazing his head on a few branches as he went. 

“This is suitable,” The blond had stopped in front of a blank patch of dirt, in between the trees. There was no snow, but it was probably damp.

“Um, I know we have separate tents, but, maybe… we could share?” Leorio said, as he leaned his stuff against a nearby tree trunk. He didn’t know what kind of relationship they had, and Kurapika was rather grumpy, so he was fully prepared to be rejected.

“For sharing warmth purposes?”

“Yes, of course. And it’s practical…”

“Fine,” He exhaled, looking over his shoulder. Leorio thought, for what was probably the thousandth time, how pretty he was. “Help me set this up.”

It didn’t take long for them to pitch the tent, or set up camp. Two pairs of hands were far better than one. They ate dried food in the tent, because any wood would be too soggy for a fire, and Leorio lamented the loss of soup and bread.

“It’s strange, to be back on the road,” Kurapika said, as they lay in their sleeping bags. They weren’t sharing Leorio’s anymore, much to his disappointment, but they were unbuttoned so that the blond could use him as a pillow. “The inn would have been like a pleasant dream, if I hadn’t brought a souvenir from it with me.”

That was the longest sentence he had said since they left the inn, Leorio noted. “Me being the souvenir?”

“Of course.”

Leorio smiled. “I’m glad you let me come with you.”

Kurapika mumbled something into his chest that sounded like, “I’m glad, as well.” Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not sure if this is the end. this chapter is pretty short cause i was basically just wrapping everything up, but with the fantasy world shit that i kinda accidentally set up i could probably write a whole other, like, arc
> 
> edit: i wrote this when i was hungry and feeling uninspired so i just ate vegan mac n cheese and came back to read it and i've decided that i hate it and it would be rude to leave the story with this shit ending. so at some point i'll continue

**Author's Note:**

> quick note: leorio's characterization is inspired by the 1999 version, cause i thought he was annoying at the beginning of the remake. and he's way cooler in the old one


End file.
